Panthers’ Kasay Out for the Season

Carolina kicker John Kasay, the Panthers’ leading scorer every year since they joined the NFL, is expected to miss the entire season because of a broken left kneecap.

The bone in the left-footed kicker’s knee was broken nearly in half during a morning workout Sunday at Spartanburg, S.C., Coach George Seifert said. Kasay was taken to Charlotte, N.C., for surgery.

It was Kasay’s second practice with the team since returning from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the same knee. That injury came in a December game, and Seifert wasn’t sure if the two injuries are related.

On Sunday, Kasay was attempting a 30-yard field goal when, as his foot connected with the ball, he screamed: “Oh no! No! Trainer! Trainer!”

The injury leaves rookie Eric Meng, from Georgia Southern, as the only kicker on the roster.

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Barry Sanders says he is finished playing football and is enjoying his retirement from the Detroit Lions.

“If I wanted to play football again, all I’d have to do is just show up [at Lions training camp] in Saginaw or at the Silverdome,” Sanders told the Detroit Free Press on Saturday at the Buick Open golf tournament.

In a report published on the Free Press’ Web site, Sanders denied his father’s comments that he decided to retire out of dislike for Coach Bobby Ross and a poor opinion of the Lions’ front office.

“Why would anyone automatically assume that other people were speaking for me?” Sanders said. “My decision has nothing to do with the Lions. I know that you probably don’t believe me, but it has nothing to do with the Lions. I played 10 years. And that was enough.”

In July, Sanders sent the Lions a check for $1.833 million, a payment he was obligated to make if he doesn’t play this season.

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Barring a stunningly quick recovery from a sprained big toe on his left foot, Vinny Testaverde’s exhibition season is over. The New York Jets are optimistic their veteran quarterback will be ready for the season opener at Green Bay on Sept. 3.

Testaverde was hurt in the second quarter of Saturday night’s 10-0 exhibition loss at Baltimore. The injury is to the same foot on which he tore his Achilles’ tendon in the 1999 opener, costing him the rest of the season.

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New Orleans Saint safety Darren Perry was arrested and charged with driving drunk at Kenner, La., after rear-ending a car less than two hours after returning from an exhibition against the Indianapolis Colts, police said.

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Jeff Garcia, Steve Young’s heir apparent who had not been involved in a single scoring drive in two exhibition games, threw for one touchdown and ran for another as the San Francisco 49ers beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 33-10, in an exhibition game at Kansas City. Garcia complete seven of eight passes for 82 yards before giving way to Rick Mirer, who teamed up with Jerry Rice on a 75-yard touchdown pass. Mirer was five for six for 114 yards. . . . With 1:08 left to play at Irving, Texas, Scott Dreisbach threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Willy Tate, then a two-point conversion to David Dunn, giving the Oakland Raiders a 21-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. . . . Olandis Gary ran for 94 yards and a third-quarter touchdown and Jason Elam kicked four field goals, leading the Denver Broncos to a 26-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Denver.